In It to Win It

by Ella Jade

  “That goes for you too.”

  “What? Amber? You were out with another guy! I’m not going to sit at home like some pathetic girl who got stood up at prom. I’m not going to let you make me look like a fool.” Silvio massaged the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words. “Listen, Sabrina, I’m not real big on feelings or looking toward the future. And as much as I want to move on, I know there’s no one out there like you. You’re special. You’re all I want.”

  “Why do you do that? Why do you have to be such a jerk?” she said, her eyes glossing over with emotion.

  “What is wrong with you? I’m a jerk? I thought I was being pretty nice.”

  “I don’t even know why you put up with me. You don’t deserve this.” Sabrina shook her head as she looked at the ground.

  Silvio stepped closer to her. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her against his body. “You’ve got that right. I don’t deserve you, but I want to.”

  “You’re a jerk,” she said timidly as she rested her hands on his chest.

  “Really?” Silvio tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

  “Yes,” she said, the word rolling off her tongue in a whisper.

  “Are you my girl?”

  “Sure,” Sabrina said, reaching her hands up around his neck.

  “Don’t do me any favors here, princess. If you wanna go, then go. It’s yes or no time.”

  “Yes.”

  As soon as the word was out of her mouth, Silvio crushed his lips against hers, claiming his woman. Sabrina pulled back first, and he took pride in the flush on her cheeks and her swollen lips. He had marked her, she was his.

  “I’m gonna go say bye to the girls. I’ll meet you right back here, then we can leave,” she said.

  Silvio looked down in question into her now sparkling eyes.

  “Unless you want to have make-up sex in a bar?” she asked.

  “What if I do?”

  “You jerk.” She pushed her hand into his chest. “I’ll be right back.”

  He watched Sabrina strut off to her friends, and he chuckled to himself. Their mood had changed so drastically in such a short time it left his head spinning. She was the only woman who had ever made him want more, want a future. What he saw now was scary and exciting, and he knew that she was worth all the trouble. And she was most certainly trouble.

  * * * *

  Silvio had barely kicked the door shut behind him before Sabrina stripped off her dress. The last week had been exhausting and emotional, and right now she was desperate to connect with him.

  Whoa. Sabrina was surprised when Silvio swooped in behind her, lifting her up and carrying her to his bed. When Silvio laid her down she watched in wonder as he leaned over her.

  “We don’t need to rush this,” he said, before placing a kiss below her ear that sent a shiver up her spine.

  Taking her hands, Silvio moved them over her head, where he gently pinned them down with one of his hands, holding them in place. Sabrina jolted when he used the other to pull down her satin bra, leaving her breast exposed. He nuzzled his face into her large breasts before capturing a hard nipple in his mouth, causing her to buck off the bed. Silvio released her, grabbing her hips, and scooted her farther back on the mattress, settling himself in between her legs.

  Sabrina panted as desire pooled in her sex. She was lost in the moment, letting Silvio ravish her body as he once again pinned her hands above her head. She let out a moan when he ran his other hand down her body, over her breasts, giving them a rough grope before wandering further. It was his strong fingers that pulled her from her lust-induced haze as they rubbed against the thin fabric of her panties covering her wet pussy.

  “No,” she gasped, trying to twist out of his hold. “This is make-up sex, Silvio, let me make it up to you.”

  The look on his face went from shock to delight in a split second as he crawled off the bed. “All right, princess. What do you have in mind?”

  Sabrina eyed Silvio, he was still fully dressed, with the exception of his shoes and socks.

  “I should probably get you naked first,” Sabrina said with a giggle as she moved off the bed.

  Standing before Silvio, her eyes met his as she reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. She inhaled deeply as her gaze wandered down, admiring his sculpted body. She licked her lips as she reached out, caressing the grooves of his defined abs. Sabrina let her hands move down, finding the button on his jeans and undoing them.

  Sabrina felt a sly grin pull at her lips. Silvio might want to take it slow, but she didn’t. Kneeling in front of him, she took hold of his boxers and jeans, pulling them down. With Silvio’s beautifully erect cock at eye level she gently clasped her hand around it before taking it in her mouth. The deep moan that Silvio let out only fueled her fire as she settled into a nice rhythm. When his masculine hands took her hair in one hand and pushed it away from her face, she looked up at him, enough to see his hooded eyes, and how his mouth gaped with lust as he watched her suck his cock.

  “Stop,” he said gruffly.

  Sabrina pulled back, wondering if she had done something wrong. As far as blowjobs went, she was actually enjoying herself. Driving Silvio mad with pleasure was oddly empowering.

  “Get up.”

  He tugged on her arms, awkwardly helping her up. Sabrina couldn’t hold back the giggle. He was in dire need of release. She watched as he pulled his pants and boxers the rest of the way off before stalking toward her then pulling a condom out of the bedside drawer.

  “On the bed, princess,” he ordered.

  The dark desire that flashed in his eyes made her mouth go dry, and an ache hit low. She quickly followed his request. After he crawled up the foot of the bed, he reached for her hips and gently pulled her panties off, tossing them aside. She smiled at his eagerness, but then her breath was stolen as he shoved her legs apart and buried his face in her core. Her hands clutched the sheets as Silvio added a finger to his efforts. Sabrina thrashed around as he fucked her with his fingers, his mouth catching her sensitive clit with delicious pressure, bringing her close to the edge.

  “No, not like this,” she begged as she pushed on his shoulders. She was so close to coming, but she wanted him inside of her when they both finished. “I want you. Please.”

  Sabrina let out a breath when Silvio pulled up from the apex of her thighs. He fumbled for a minute with the condom before settling his cock at her entrance.

  “Oh God!” Sabrina screamed as Silvio plunged into her tight cunt with one hard thrust.

  “I’m not going to last long, princess,” Silvio said, thrusting into her.

  Sabrina had no words. She knew her release was coming, but she was mesmerized by the intense pleasure rolling through her body. When Silvio’s skilled hands once again found her clit, giving it a rub as he continued the onslaught of his hard cock driving into her, she was lost.

  “Don’t stop…oh God!” Sabrina arched off the bed as the orgasm rocked through her body in waves, sending shudders up her spine.

  “Fuck!” Silvio said, slamming into her one last time, owning her pussy as he held himself deep.

  They laid there for a few moments before Silvio slipped off of her. Sabrina stretched out in his cozy bed and it hit her how tired she was. It had been an emotional week, and their meeting at the bar had been crazy, and the sex was intense. When Silvio made it back to bed, he pulled her into his arms before tugging the covers over them. She smiled when he nuzzled his face into her hair.

  “So,” Silvio said in a soft, sleepy tone, “what do you think, do you think Mama would let you move in here?”

  Sabrina twisted around to meet Silvio’s eyes. Her heart beat hard in her chest as she tried to determine if she had heard his words correctly.

  “You want me to move in with you?”

  “Yes, but only if you want to.”

  She eyed him skeptically. “Is this another one of your in-or-out deals?”

  “
No, princess.” Silvio gave a half-smile. “This is me looking forward, thinking that I’d like to see you next to me in bed when I wake up in the morning...every morning.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “But if you’re not there yet, I’ll wait.”

  The smile that spread across Sabrina’s face almost hurt, and she felt giddy. “You’re such a jerk.”

  “Always.” Silvio rolled his eyes at her. “Well, what do you think?”

  Sabrina crawled on top of him, letting her hair drape over them. “I think you’re the one who’s gonna have to ask Mama, she likes you better.”

  Sabrina watched a fire burn in Silvio’s dark eyes and a wide smile pulled across his face as his hands swept her hair back.

  “I love you, Sabrina.”

  She felt emotion well up as she tried to hold back tears. She knew she was a complicated woman, but he was an equally complicated man. What was happening between them was undoubtedly love, but it was the kind of love that needed constant work. They would fight, and it would be a lot of hot and cold, but she knew it was going to be full of passion.

  “You better, you jerk,” she teased, but he only looked up at her, waiting, making her heart ache a little. “I love you too,” Sabrina said before placing a delicate kiss on Silvio’s lips.

  She settled down, laying on Silvio’s chest as he wrapped his arms around her, encompassing her in his love. The smile still pulled across her face as she listened to Silvio’s heartbeat thumping in his chest, and she knew he was right...this was exactly what she wanted to wake up to each morning.

  About A.K. Layton

  A.K. Layton has always been one to play by her own set of rules. In her youth she enjoyed writing poetry as it gave her a creative outlet which had no restrictions. Now, after years of reading all types of romantic novels she decided that she wanted to write stories her way. She pushed ahead as only a natural born Taurus can, with sheer stubbornness and determination.

  She resides in Oregon with her husband and two children. When she isn’t over committing herself for school functions, play-dates, and volunteer activities she enjoys watching MMA fights, taking advantage of the beautiful Oregon Coast, and reading until the wee hours of the night.

  A.K. Layton’s Website:

  www.aklaytonromance.com

  Reader eMail:

  aklaytonwrites@gmail.com

  More Beachwalk Press Titles by A.K. Layton

  Don’t Tap Out

  Dirty Boxing

  Soccer Mum

  by Lisa Knight

  When Maggie’s ten-year-old son joins a soccer team she hopes it will be an opportunity to meet new people and move forward from the disastrous past months. After all, a broken marriage and returning home to live with her parents wasn’t quite how she’d envisioned her thirties.

  Agreeing to play soccer herself as part of the parents’ team, Maggie’s lack of skill requires a little extra coaching. Leo is happy to assist, and Maggie becomes captivated by the former professional player, who ignites feelings she thought had disappeared forever.

  But as her ex-husband pressures her to re-kindle their relationship, Maggie’s guilt reaches overdrive. How can she possibly consider a future with Leo when there’s a chance of putting her family back together?

  Dedication

  For all the soccer mums.

  Acknowledgements

  A big thank you to everyone at Beachwalk Press.

  Chapter 1

  Maggie pulled into the driveway of her parents’ home, taking in the view of the two-story, red brick house that practically glowed in the early evening light. Her mother had tried her best to hide the unsightly colored bricks with random pieces of outdoor artwork and climbing plants, but it hadn’t helped much. The house was as ugly now as when she’d lived there as a child. And now, at thirty-seven, she was back. Temporarily.

  Well, it had been three months already, but Maggie was busy saving every penny. With a bit of luck—and a win on this week’s lottery—she’d soon have enough to get her own place. It wasn’t that she hated living with her parents again, but having been away for so long, it was difficult getting used to their odd routines. Like the way they always had the radio playing. Not with music, but with annoying talkback shows, where people phoned in and whined about ridiculous issues. And why did the volume have to be turned up so loud? It made a simple conversation difficult, having to compete with the droning voices of cranky Australians.

  Maggie turned off the car’s engine and sat quietly for a moment as a pang of longing for home whacked her in the gut. Sydney always had a buzz of energy, with the galleries, shops and shows, and beautiful harbor that she could stare at for hours. The entire time she’d lived there, she’d never once felt bored. Not like here.

  It was hard to believe that she was back living in her sleepy little hometown of Katoomba. But when her marriage ended, there’d been little choice. She couldn’t afford to rent in the city on a single wage, and moving back in with her parents was the only chance she had to get back on her feet.

  She tried to focus on the good things about Katoomba. The air was definitely cleaner. You could stand right in the center of town and take a deep breath without any urge to cough whatsoever. The streets were less busy. No annoying peak hour to make you late for appointments. The views of the Blue Mountains were stunning, no question about it, and the rocky formations of the Three Sisters never failed to take her breath away.

  But more importantly than all of that, it was a far better place to raise a child. Maggie had always known it, but when Patrick was born, she and her husband, Felix, had been so in love with Sydney that there’d never been a question about moving somewhere quieter. For ten years they’d raised their son in a small apartment in the city. Walking him to school each day alongside busy roads laden with cars and trucks. The steady hum of traffic had lulled them to sleep at night, while the sound of sirens had been their early morning alarm clock.

  The end of Maggie’s relationship with Felix still gave her an ache in her chest, although discovering her husband had cheated for at least half of their ten-year marriage wasn’t something she liked to dwell on. It hurt to think they’d once loved each other enough to vow to be together forever. Such a stupid promise, in hindsight.

  Unfortunately, the end of their relationship also signaled an end to the luxuries of a double income. Felix gave her money for Patrick, but it barely covered the cost of new pajamas as she’d struggled to pay school fees, electricity bills, and the bloated cost of renting in the city. She’d only lasted a few months.

  The choice to move back with her parents had been easy, but the reality of leaving Sydney still left her with so many doubts. Starting over as a single mother in her late thirties wasn’t exactly how Maggie had envisioned her life.

  Her one stipulation in the separation was that Patrick lived with her. For the moment, Felix was agreeable, but Maggie had an awful sense that things could become difficult once he was no longer preoccupied with his current bimbo. Then again, maybe she was just being paranoid. Felix still saw Patrick every other weekend, and they were only a two hour drive away.

  Taking a deep breath, Maggie got out of the car, bracing for the icy wind that often accompanied Katoomba’s early winter afternoons. She dashed inside the house, grateful for the cozy warmth of the fireplace, and the little arms that wrapped around her waist the second she was through the door.

  “Hi, Mummy!” Patrick squeezed tightly, resting his head against her belly.

  His eyes closed, as though savoring every second of their hug, and Maggie smiled, leaning down to plant a kiss among his mop of dark curls.

  “Guess what?” His face was a picture of excitement as he pulled away from the embrace and stood gleefully, spitting out the words before she had a chance to reply. “I’m going to play soccer!”

  She blinked, momentarily blinded by the delight radiating off her son. “You are?”

  “Yep! I joined a team at school. We’re gonna play every Saturday. Please,
Mum, can I be on the team?”

  Maggie’s mother came into the room, a tea towel draped over one shoulder as always when she was in the midst of making dinner. The image was so familiar that Maggie was pulled back to memories from childhood, the only difference being her mother’s dark hair was now peppered with gray. It was from her that Patrick got his curls. She rested against the doorframe, grinning. “He’s been excited about it all afternoon.”

  Maggie raised her eyebrows, knowing only too well that ‘excited’ meant nonstop banter and giggles, often reaching high-pitched levels she’d once thought only achievable by girls. Sorry, she mouthed silently to her mother, receiving in return a shrug that dismissed any need for apologies.

  Moving further inside the house, Maggie deposited her handbag behind the lounge before flopping down onto the worn, beige leather, unzipping and kicking off her knee-high boots. Patrick jumped onto the seat beside her and, despite his skinny frame, almost sent her airborne. She pulled him in close, giving his hair a loving sniff as he relaxed his back against her chest.

  “Tell me about this soccer. Who else will be on the team?”

  As Patrick rattled off the names of children, Maggie recognized some, but not others. Working as many hours as she had been, trying to get her head around her new job, didn’t allow time for involvement with school activities. In the months since they’d arrived, Patrick hadn’t shown any interest in having friends over to play. It was actually something she’d started to worry about, so it was a relief now to see him keen to mix with other kids.

  “How much does it cost?” She offered up a quick prayer that she could squeeze it into the budget.

  “Ooh, I have a note!” Patrick was up again, scrambling through his school bag, flinging out a hat, pencil case, and empty lunch box before finding a crumpled, white sheet of paper. He shoved it at Maggie, his brown eyes wide.

  She scanned the words, looking for the dreaded dollar sign, and breathed a sigh of relief. It was manageable. “Okay, so training on Wednesdays after school and, wow, your first game is this Saturday?”